


Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

by MackenzieW



Series: In Any Universe (OQ Prompt Party) [8]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cheating, F/M, Family Feels, OQ Prompt Party 2018, Romance, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-08 04:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14096754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MackenzieW/pseuds/MackenzieW
Summary: Regina's world shatters when she discovers her husband cheating with her best friend. It also shatters the world of her best friend's husband, Robin. Together with their sons, they rebuild their lives and find a second chance in each other.





	Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

**Author's Note:**

> Based on prompt #42. Robin and Regina discover their respective significant others are cheating with each other. They support each other through the fallout and their sons decide to make them realize they should be together.
> 
> This was actually the prompt _I_ sent into the prompt party so I could have an excuse to write it. I would like to give a shout out to singer Shania Twain because this is essentially part of her life story--she found out her husband was cheating on her with her best friend and after the divorce, ended up finding support in her friend's ex-husband. They ended up falling in love, encouraged by their children. They later married and from what I can tell, still are. So thanks for the inspiration, Shania!

"Thank you so much for all your support, Governor Nottingham. We appreciate everything you're doing to advance our cause," Mary Margaret Nolan, the head of the teacher's union, said as she shook the governor's hand.

Governor Regina Nottingham smiled as she placed her hand over the younger woman's. "Teachers are in charge of our most important resource—our children. The only way to ensure our state and country stay great is to ensure those who are molding the next generation of leaders have every resource possible to do so. As governor and a mother, I firmly believe it."

Mary Margaret nodded. "If you ever run for the White House, I will support you the entire way."

Regina laughed. "Well, let me first fix Maine. Then I'll worry about the rest of the country."

"Come on, Mary Margaret," her husband David said, gently pulling her away from Regina. "We can't take up all of the governor's time."

"Right, sorry," Mary Margaret replied, pulling her hands from Regina's grasp.

As she turned to walk away with her husband, Regina called out after the retreating brunette. "I will have my assistant set up another meeting with you—a private one. I would love to continue our conversation."

Mary Margaret paused and glanced over her shoulder, smiling at Regina. "I would love that as well. Thank you, Madame Governor."

Regina's former campaign manager and now chief of staff, Mal Draco, stepped forward. "Excellent work, Madame Governor. And I'll get that meeting scheduled as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Mal," she said. "And thank you for stepping in to help tonight. Marian just seemed too sick to come to this event."

Mal nodded, waving her off. "I'm happy to help you. Besides, this way I can keep everything on track better. However, I still haven't gotten a hold of your husband. Did Keith tell you anything about being late?"

Regina sighed. "He's talked about a big deal at work but he promised to do everything he could to be here with me. I guess it still wasn't enough."

Her friend gave her a sympathetic look before glancing around the room. "It looks like we're done here. Do you want to take your leave and get out of this dress?"

"I actually don't mind the dress," Regina replied, smoothing down the strapless black A-line dress with a sweetheart neckline she wore. "But I would kill to get out of these heels."

Mal chuckled. "No need to kill. We'll just take our leave."

It took almost another ten minutes where Regina shook several hands and posed for a few more press pictures before she was on the elevator heading up to the hotel suites booked for her and her staff. They were on the very top floor, accessible only by their keycards, and Regina was looking forward to the privacy. She hoped that her husband had managed to come to the hotel like he promised, even if he didn't make the event. Keith had been distant since she had been sworn in as governor earlier that year and she knew her demanding schedule didn't help their marriage. She hoped that being in the hotel, away from the Governor's house and her young son, would help them reconnect.

The doors dinged open and Regina slipped out of her shoes as she stepped off the elevator. Mal chuckled behind her as she scooped them up, holding them on her fingers. "What do you want me to do with these?" she asked.

"I don't care but I guess you can put them in my room. They are too expensive to throw out and I can't keep buying shoes just because I get frustrated from wearing them," she said, heading to a room opposite hers. "I'm going to check on Marian, see how she's feeling."

"Will do. Do you want me to wake Keith for you if he's asleep?" Mal asked, motioning to Keith's familiar black overcoat and briefcase on the couch.

Regina shook her head, excitement building inside her. "I want to wake him. I'll see you in the morning, Mal. Late morning."

Her chief laughed and promised to let her sleep in before heading to Regina's room. Regina approached Marian's door, her hand reaching for the knob when a sound stopped her. It was a moan but it didn't sound like Marian was in any pain or moaning from being sickness. Regina's brows knitted as another moan came from behind the door, followed by Marian distinctly yelling: "There! Right there!"

Dread filled Regina as she opened the door, the sight before her confirming her worst nightmare. Her assistant was decidedly not sick. She was just being fucked into the mattress by Regina's husband, Keith. Even with the lights off, she recognized his familiar form. Anger burned inside her as she flipped on the lights, causing him to roll off Marian.

Marian's face went from pure pleasure to pure dread as she clutched the blankets against her bare body. "Regina! You're done with the ball?"

"Yes," Regina replied through gritted teeth. "Looks like you and my husband lost track of time in your search for an orgasm."

Keith climbed out of bed, trying to pull on his discarded briefs. "Regina, wait, let's talk about this."

She backed away, throwing up her hands as she fought the tears pricking at her eyes. "How long has this been going on?"

"Regina…" He then sighed. "Since you became governor."

"I'm so sorry, Regina," Marian then said, almost pleading with her. "I didn't mean to hurt you but Keith and I got so close during your campaign. We just…fell in love."

Regina shook her head. "I don't want to hear it. I don't want to see you either of you. I want you both gone."

"Come on, Regina," Keith pleaded. "You had to see this coming. You never had time for…"

"DON'T!" she barked, holding up her hand. "Don't try that 'I had no choice because I was so neglected' route. I've tried plenty of times to make time for you but you were always working. Or were you just already fucking her?"

Their guilty looks told her everything she needed to know, stalking back out to common area. She was mortified to find the rest of her staff waiting for her, everyone looking at her with pity in their eyes—except for Mal, who had murder in hers. Regina took a deep breath and pointed at them. "I want the two of them out of here. I don't care what you have to do, just get them away from me. And Marian is fired."

Mal nodded. "Duly noted. Security will handle them. Come on, let me take you back to your room."

Numb, Regina let her friend guide her into her bedroom and close the door. She then collapsed on the bed, curling into the fetal position. "How could I be so stupid? I vowed to never let what my mother did to my father happen to me and here I am, in just the same situation. What could I have done differently?"

"Not marry Keith Nottingham," Mal said, pulling her into a sitting position. "You'll be more comfortable out of that dress."

As her friend unzipped her, Regina could only focus on the sight of her husband and best friend in bed together. "And Marian. We've been friends for years. I've relied on her for everything. We became mothers together. How could she do this to me?"

The dress pooled at her feet and she stepped out of it, letting Mal gather it up. She then pressed her hand to her mouth as she thought of someone else. Two someone elses, to be exact. "How could she do that to Robin and Roland?"

"They were both selfish, Regina," Mal told her. "They only thought about their own needs and wants and desires, ignoring everyone else's. Unfortunately, you, Henry, Robin and Roland are going to pay the price. Well, if Robin finds out."

"I fired Marian," Regina replied, taking her pajamas from her friend. "She's going to have to explain that to him. And our sons are best friends. How can I look him in the eyes, knowing she has been cheating on him? Do you think I need to tell him?"

Mal sighed. "I think you need to put your pajamas on, wash your makeup off and then climb into bed. Worry about everything else in the morning. Okay?"

Regina nodded, clutching her satin pajamas to her chest. "Thank you, Mal, for being here for me."

"That's what real friends do," she replied. "Good night, Regina."

Once she left, Regina changed into her pajamas and went about her nightly routine on autopilot. She climbed into bed, set an alarm on her phone and turned off the light. However, sleep did not come to her easily. All she could see whenever she closed her eyes was her husband fucking her best friend. Her mind was spinning as she tried to process it, analyzing every encounter where she might've found out about them earlier. Looking back, there were clues but she had been too oblivious or too trusting to realize them. Had this been what happened to her father? Did he feel like this after finding her mother in bed with Gold?

She knew her life was going to have to change. Keith had pretty much confirmed that there was no hope for their marriage and she doubted she would ever trust him again. Divorce was the last thing she needed as governor but she wasn't going to stay in a sham marriage for three more years just for politics. It wouldn't be fair to her or Henry, who was going to lose his father figure either way. She was going to have to be there for him, to support him through this difficult period.

Her mind then wandered to Robin Locksley, Marian's loving husband. Regina wasn't particularly close to him but they were friendly. After all, his wife was her best friend and their sons were best friends. He went with Marian to all parties at her house and just as often picked up or dropped off Roland for playdates. Robin also liked to drop by the office—whether it was City Hall when she was mayor of Storybrooke or now the Maine State House, where her office as Governor was located—just to visit his wife and bring her flowers. It was sweet and Regina often wished she had a marriage just like they did. But it seemed even the most devoted of husbands couldn't guarantee a successful marriage. He and Roland, the sweet boy Regina loved almost as much as her own, were going to be hurt in this as well. Because even if Marian didn't tell him, he would find out. And part of Regina felt she owed it to him to tell him herself.

Exhaustion eventually took Regina and she fell into a troubled sleep, plagued with odd dreams and the memory of Marian and Keith in bed together as they taunted her. And all she could do was stand there and let them, powerless to stop them.

Her worst nightmare come true.

* * *

Several months later, Regina let herself into her house in Storybrooke. She sighed as she kicked off her heels and placed her briefcase down by the front door as she closed it. Divorcing Keith had been easier than she had thought as he hadn't put up a fight. Regina had made sure to be first to file because she didn't want him to file for irreconcilable marital difference and have that be the record of why they were divorcing. It may have been petty but she wanted adultery printed in every paper in Maine as they were all covering her divorce proceedings. She then had that served to Keith and then they got to work dividing up their married life. Neither asked for spousal support and the judge decided not to award it either. Regina had adopted Henry just before marrying Keith and he had never filed any paperwork to adopt the boy, so she got full custody of him. She agreed to visitation since Keith had been something of a father to him, but Henry seemed less than thrilled with it. Regina hoped to use it to get Keith out of her life for good the next time they negotiated his visitation. Then she could finally put this whole affair behind her.

While the divorce hadn't taken as much of her time as she had thought it would, Regina still ended up tendering her resignation as governor halfway through the proceedings. She explained in her speech to the state legislature that she needed to put all her focus on her son during this tumultuous time and so the people of Maine deserved someone who could do that. Her deputy, Sidney Glass, had been sworn in as governor shortly thereafter and had done a good job of continuing her agenda now that she had taken a step back from politics. Several people in their party had encouraged her to stick it out but Regina knew she had to be a mother first. And it seemed the people of Maine loved her more for it as her approval ratings were still very high.

Not that she cared about approval ratings these days. She had gone back to work as an attorney in private practice, still focusing on criminal law. The law firm she joined was in the next town over from Storybrooke, which was bigger in size and was the county seat so it had the courts. Regina already had a few clients but her case load was still relatively light, allowing her to have normal hours. Her commute wasn't too bad—a half hour in either direction, forty-five minutes if traffic was bad—and so she had plenty of time at night with Henry. He adjusted quickly to being back in Storybrooke and not having Keith around, seeming to be happier now that she was no longer the governor. And it made her heart hurt to think that in addition to not realizing her husband was having an affair with her best friend, she had also failed to realize that her son wasn't happy as well.

Regina sniffed the air and her stomach growled. She smelled roast chicken and what smelled like garlic in the air, following it to the kitchen. "What is that delicious smell?"

"Roasted chicken," Henry said, looking up from the counter as he stood on a stool. "And Uncle Robin is showing us how to make string beans with garlic."

Robin Locksley looked up from the stove, smiling at her and revealing the two dimples Marian had used to gush about. "I hope you don't mind but I figured it would just be easier for all of us to have dinner together."

She shook her head. "Not at all. And thank you, again, for picking up Henry for me. I really do need to find a more reliable babysitter."

"Not a problem," he replied. "I always love spending time with Henry. And I got to also spend time with Roland."

"Hi, Aunt Regina," Roland said, leaning past his father's body to smile at her.

"Hello, Roland," she said, smiling as well. She then motioned toward her stairs. "I'm going to go change into something more comfortable and then I'll come back to help you set the table."

Robin winked at her. "Sounds like a plan."

She left the three of them cooking in her kitchen as she headed up to her bedroom, glad to have Robin still in her life. He had become quite the lifeline for her, though she had worried she would lose his friendship over this whole matter. After all, she had ended up being the one to tell him about his wife's affair.

Regina hadn't sought him out to do so as she thought she might back in the hotel room. Rather, Robin had stormed into her office a few days after the fundraiser and demanded to know how she could just fire Marian after years of friendship and faithful service. It was clear to Regina that Marian hadn't been truthful to her husband and so, after closing her door, she had told Robin everything. He had refused to believe it at first but she told him that she had seen it with her own eyes. Robin then thanked her, leaving her with an odd look in her eyes.

A couple days later, Henry told her that Roland's mommy had moved out and didn't want to be married to his daddy anymore. He had asked if it had to do with how Keith had moved out and, unable to lie to her son, Regina told him that Keith and Marian had fallen in love and wanted to be together. She had then debated about whether to call Robin but decided she was the last one he wanted to hear from right before he called her. He had apologized for his behavior and they had spent most of the night commiserating over their shared predicament.

His divorce hadn't gone as smoothly as Regina's had because Marian put up a fight for custody of Roland. Robin had petitioned for sole custody and visitation for her while she wanted joint custody. At first, Regina had thought it was a bit harsh that he hadn't gone for joint custody but he explained it wasn't exactly retaliatory. Robin was a marketing consultant who worked primarily with non-profits, helping them build their clientele and get their messages out to the public. He worked from home most of the time and so was Roland's primary caregiver while Marian often worked long hours alongside Regina. Robin understood what Roland needed and was more attuned to their son than Marian, fearing the little boy would face more upheaval and uncertainty to have to split his time between the two. While Regina thought the judge would ultimately grant joint custody, she still supported Robin through everything and was a sympathetic ear for when he needed to vent.

In the end, the judge had granted Robin's petition and had cited Marian's instability at that time. She still had no steady job, working temp ones as she was branded a persona non grata as the woman who destroyed the governor's marriage. Keith had also ended up being fired from his job as Vice President of Operations for a large investment firm due to the negative publicity he received but had managed to land at a smaller firm, though at a lower paying and much junior position. Both were struggling financially and had only a small apartment that they shared. The judge felt Robin would provide a more stable home to Roland but had left it open for them to revisit custody in the future.

Once that had been settled, Robin had moved him and Roland back to Storybrooke as well. Like Regina, his entire support system was in the small town and he needed all the help he could get. They continued to be each other's rocks and she felt closer to him than she ever felt to Marian. He had seen her at her worst—and she had his—and they still stuck by each other, helping to build each other back up. They created new lives for themselves and their sons, finding happiness yet again.

Regina honestly didn't know what she would do without him and she prayed she never had to find out.

She changed out of her skirt suit and into a pair of jeans as well as a short-sleeved cashmere shirt with a high neck. Regina pulled her hair into a simple ponytail before heading back downstairs to join the boys, eager to eat the dinner they had prepared.

"Alright," she said, entering the kitchen. "Who wants to help me set the table?"

"I do!" Roland exclaimed, jumping off his stool. He hurried to her side, grabbing her hand as he smiled up at her. The dimples he inherited from his father flashed at her.

Henry, though, chose to stay by Robin. She wasn't surprised, though, as her son loved baking and cooking. It was one of the things they did together, mother and son, and she cherished every moment they spent together. So she let him continue to help Robin cook their dinner while she set the table with Roland.

The four of them then sat down to dinner and as she looked over the table, she couldn't help but feel that they were a family.

* * *

After dinner, Henry and Roland head into the living room to watch a movie while they wait for their meal to digest before having dessert. Regina and Robin stay in the kitchen, packing up the leftovers and cleaning up dirty dishes, pots and pans. The dishwasher soon hums as it cleans the dishes and everything else is cleaned, dried and put away. Regina turned to lean against the counter, smiling when she finds Robin standing there with two glasses of wine in his hands.

"White wine tonight," he said, holding out a glass to her. "Wouldn't want you to ruin that lovely white sweater."

She raised an eyebrow as she took the glass from him. "Are you calling me a slob?"

"Never. But I have seen some occasions where more wine ends up on you rather than in you…" He laughed as she tried to punch his arm, ducking out of her reach as he headed toward the table.

Regina followed him, sitting next to him at the table. She took his hand, giving it a squeeze. "I don't know if I tell you this often enough, Robin, but I appreciate everything you've done for me and Henry since, well, everything went down."

He set down his glass to cover their clasped hands with his other one. "You've given me the same in spades, Regina. I don't think I would've made it through this without you."

A moment passed between them and the air seemed to stand still as Regina forgot how to breathe. It felt as if electricity crackled around them as Robin gazed into her eyes, looking at her like she was the most precious thing on this earth. His adoration was mixed with something she was still too scared to name but it was something that made butterflies take flight in her stomach as a warmth filled her body.

These moments had been happening more frequently between the two of them but she wasn't quite sure where they were heading. She also didn't know if she could risk losing his friendship if she was misreading signs and crossed a line Robin didn't want her to cross. All she could do then was sit there, staring into his beautiful blue eyes and hold her breath as she waited for the moment to pass.

"Why don't you two just kiss already?" Henry's voice broke the moment and they both turned to find their sons standing the doorway.

Clearing her throat, Regina asked: "What do you mean?"

Roland gave them such a pointed look she almost thought for a moment he was her son. "We all always spend time together and you two smile this goofy smile around each other. Like the smiles couples in movies smile when they're in love."

"Yeah," Henry replied, nodding. "And you're always staring into each other's eyes. So why don't you two just kiss and be a couple already?"

"Because it doesn't work like that," Robin replied. "Your mother and I are good friends, Henry, and we enjoy spending time with each other. It doesn't mean that there's anything romantic going on between us."

Disappointment filled Regina and she couldn't keep the sadness out of her voice as she asked: "There isn't?"

He sucked in some air before turning to her, a question in his eyes. "I don't know. Is…Is there?"

"Why don't you kiss and find out?" Henry suggested as Roland nodded beside him.

She took a deep breath and said: "I guess it couldn't hurt."

"No," Robin mused, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "I suppose not."

They both leaned forward at the same time, their lips meeting halfway. Regina sighed into the kiss the moment their lips touched as she finally named the feeling she had been denying for too long.

She loved Robin Locksley.

And judging from how passionate the kiss was becoming, he loved her too.

They broke the kiss and rested their foreheads together, just breathing each other in as their fingers laced together. Regina smiled, giddy at the prospect of what could lie between her and Robin now. "Can we do that again?" she asked in a whisper.

"Just not with us in the room," Roland said, sounding disgusted. They looked up again, finding both their sons staring at them with scrunched up noses.

Robin chuckled. "You're the ones who wanted us to kiss."

"We didn't think you'd kiss like _that_ ," Henry said, shaking his head. "Just…promise you'll kiss like _that_ when we're not around."

Roland nodded emphatically and the two adults laughed. "Okay," Regina replied. "We promise."

"Now get into that living room so I can kiss your mother like _that_ again," Robin said, shooing the boys out of the kitchen.

He didn't kiss her right away, though. Instead, he took her hand in his and smiled at her. "I don't really know when my feelings changed for you, Regina, but somewhere along the way you went from being my wife's best friend to being my best friend to being the woman I truly care about. I don't want to use the l word out loud just yet. We've both just gotten out of marriages that ended badly so I think we both need some time. But I would still love to take you out on a proper date, no children, this Friday. Will you let me?"

She laid her hand on his cheek, happy tears in her eyes. "You're right that we've both just put our hearts back together after having them smashed. But you are the only person other than Henry that I trust mine with. So, yes, I would love to go out on a date with you."

"Wonderful," he said, giving a little laugh. "Now, I really am going to kiss you like _that_ again."

Regina started to laugh but it was soon swallowed by Robin's kiss. Not that she was complaining as this time, he slipped his tongue between her lips. They then exchanged several languid kisses until their sons demanded dessert, breaking their romantic moment as real life intruded yet again.

Still, there was a promise of more lingering in the air and for the first time in a long time, Regina had something to look forward to.

* * *

Hindsight was 20/20.

Looking back, it was now obvious to Regina that her marriage to Keith would never have worked out. She hadn't been in a good headspace when she accepted his proposal. She had just adopted Henry and so she was exhausted all the time. Her father hadn't yet been gone a year and in her grief, Regina had tried to reconnect with her only living parent. Mother's influence wasn't the greatest as she seized on her daughter's political career and was determined to do everything in her power to put Regina in the White House. She had convinced Regina that no one would vote for a single mother and that Keith would make a good husband. He was handsome and was a very prominent businessman. When they were dating, Keith had seemed attentive to her and so when he had proposed, Regina had accepted.

Mother took over planning the wedding, turning it into the social event of the year. Even though they were not particular religious, she insisted that Regina and Keith had to marry in a large church in the next town over since it would fit all the guests that were coming. Regina remembered the church was packed as her stepfather, Gold, had walked her down the aisle. She didn't recognize many faces, though, through the white veil that covered her face as she glided toward the altar in an exact replica of Kate Middleton's wedding gown. Regina couldn't even recall any of her bridesmaids' names except for Marian, who had served as her matron of honor while Henry had served as their ringbearer. Their reception at the nearest ballroom had been an even grander affair and it seemed more about anointing Regina as some sort of heir apparent, a queen in the making, than a celebration of the love shared between two people and the life they were going to build together.

Everything was just different with Robin. She had thought Keith had always been attentive to her when they were dating but she realized it was only when he felt he was going to get sex out of it. Robin, though, was attentive without expecting anything in return. Like he had with Marian, he loved to surprise her with little things that showed he was thinking of her. Sometimes he sent her flowers on a random day for no reason, there were times she stopped by to have lunch with her and then there were the days he would pick up Henry for a guys' afternoon so Regina could have some time to pamper herself. Regina often tried to reciprocate with special dinners, taking the boys for the day so Robin could unwind himself or surprising him with a picnic.

And those were just the grand gestures. They were also the little things they would do for each other just to make the other happy. Like how Regina would stick his clothes in the dryer for a few minutes so that there nice and warm before he had to go out on a really cold day. Or how he would have a glass of wine waiting for her on days when she came home particularly frazzled over one case or another. There were just so many other thousands of things that just made Regina fall even more in love with him.

She and Robin had merged their lives together rather seamlessly. He and Roland had moved in when it came time for him to renew his lease on the little house had had been renting. They had spent so much time with Regina and Henry anyway, it just made sense. All four had a family meeting before the move to set new house rules and to work out a chores chart, which had made for an easy merger of the Locksley and Mills households. Regina always felt like Robin was her partner and that they were a team, presenting a united front even when they may have initially disagreed with something.

Robin was also a very attentive and giving lover. When she was with Keith, he had always been focused on his own pleasure which left Regina to focus on hers. There had been many nights where she had been forced to finish herself off while Keith had dozed next to her, sated. Robin, though, was focused on her pleasure and so it allowed her to focus on him in return. They came to know each other intimately, intuitively knowing what they other needed or wanted without every having to voice it. Regina didn't think she had ever experience orgasms so powerful or satisfying in her entire life until Robin had come to her bed.

(Unlike Keith, who had turned his nose up at going down on Regina but expecting her to give head constantly, Robin absolutely loved to eat her out. The man had a very talented tongue and often feasted on her as if he hadn't eaten in days. Sometimes through her sex-induced haze, Regina would wonder why Marian ever gave up such a selfless lover for a selfish one but then figured she had won in the end, so there was no point in questioning it).

When Keith had proposed, he had planned an elaborate affair for them, from closing down Tony's for the night to hiring a string quartet to play music as they ate. A special dessert had been brought out and when Regina had dug into the creamy pastry, she had found her ring inside. Keith had gotten down on one knee and proposed, she had accepted, they washed off the ring and it donned her finger. It had been a rather large diamond studded with several other jewels, which seemed a little too flashy for her taste but she didn't think she could ask for a new engagement ring. It also weighed Regina's hand down, so there were times she had gone days without wearing it. Perhaps that should've been another clue.

Robin's proposal wasn't anything grand like that. They had been lying on the couch as they watched a movie with the boys, who were on the floor in their sleeping bags with a bowl of popcorn between them. She laid in Robin's arms, wrapped in their warm plaid blanket, content with the little family they had built together. He had pressed a kiss to her head before whispering: "Marry me, Regina?"

She turned her head, looking him in the eyes. He was nervous and she knew the question was genuine. Smiling, she whispered back: "Yes."

It brought them to this lovely June day at the Storybrooke Botanical Gardens, where white chairs lined a cobblestone path as various flowers bloomed around them. A white runner laid out the path from an ivy-covered trellis to the white gazebo right in the middle of the gardens. Regina stood under the trellis, clutching a bouquet of white roses in one hand and her son's hand in the other. Since it was her second wedding, she had decided against a white dress and instead went with a pale blue chiffon fit and flare gown with lacy cap sleeves and a U-shaped neckline that hugged her breasts, showing off what she felt was enough cleavage to remain tasteful but to tantalize her new husband. Her dark hair was pinned into a low bun with a few strands left out to frame her face in soft curls. A pale blue fascinator was pinned to her hair, the tulle just covering her eyes. The only jewelry she wore was the Asscher cut ruby set on a simple gold band that she and Robin had chosen to be her engagement ring as well as the necklace had had given her with Henry's and Roland's birthday stones set in it.

The musicians began to play the bridal march and Henry walked her down the aisle, past the small gathering of friends who had been invited to the wedding. She recognized almost all of them this time, including Mary Margaret and David Nolan. Despite Regina's resignation as governor, she had kept in touch with the couple, and she smiled at the toddler who bounced on a chair as he watched her—the baby who had yet been born when she met his parents.

She and Robin had opted for a small wedding party. Mal stood up for her as her maid of honor, wearing a strapless black A-line gown with a ruched bodice. Her blonde hair was pinned up in an elegant French twist and she clutched her own bouquet of roses as Regina headed down the aisle. On his side, Robin's friend John stood up for him and Roland was right by his side. All three—like Henry—wore tuxedos with light blue cummerbunds and white roses in their lapels. The hair stylist had wanted to gel down Roland's curls but Regina had forbidden her from doing so and she thought he looked quite handsome with them free around his head.

Henry placed her hand in Robin's once they reached the gazebo, just as they had promised. He then had hugged the man he had started to call "Dad" before going to stand in front of Mal. The justice of the peace welcomed everyone and started the simple ceremony Robin and Regina had decided on. With Regina once again estranged from her mother and Robin's parents both deceased, they had decided to have a unity candle but had their sons light their respective candles. The justice of the peace handed each boy a long wooden stick, alright lit with a flame, and both Mal and John helped the two light the candles safely. Once the sticks were blown out, the justice read a poem they had requested before inviting them to recite their vows.

Regina handed her bouquet to Mal so she could take both of Robin's hands, looking him right in the eyes in order to keep her nerves at bay. "When my other marriage ended, I thought that was it," she said. "I thought it was just going to be just me and Henry for the rest of my life. And that was more than enough. But you were there for me every step of the way as I put our lives back together. You gave me everything I needed, whether it was someone to pick up Henry when child care fell through or a shoulder to cry on. You have truly become my rock, my partner, my best friend. I have never been the sappy romantic type but I do believe you are my soul mate. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life at your side, the two of us supporting each other no matter what life throws at us. I love you, Robin, and I am honored to become your wife."

There was a pause as Robin collected himself and when he spoke, his voice was thick with emotion. "My world exploded when my marriage fell apart. I felt adrift in the world and felt like I was going to drown. You, though, threw me a life preserver and gave me an anchor in an uncertain world. I don't think I've ever thanked you enough for everything you gave me in those dark days. You saved me and became the best friend I needed. Over time, you became so much more. I cannot imagine my life without you by my side and I hope to never experience it. You say I'm your rock but you are just as much mine. Soul mate is an apt title for us because I feel whole again when I'm with you. I hope to spend the rest of my life giving you the love and attention you deserve."

"Before we continue with the formal vows, Robin and Regina would also like to say something to their sons," the justice said. "Henry and Roland, will you please step forward?"

Their confused sons stepped to their sides, looking up at their parents in askance. Regina gave Henry a quick one-armed hug before kneeling front of Roland. She took his little hands in her own as she looked right in his eyes. "Roland, I know you have a mother and I am not trying to take her place. But I am marrying you along with your father, making us a family. I hope you see me as another mother, someone else who will love and guide you as you grow up, just as I see you as my other son. I promise to always be there for you and to never be too busy for you. You can come talk to me about anything, no matter what. You are just as important to me and I hope you remember that I will always love you with all my heart."

"Can I call you Mom then?" he asked, tears welling up in brown eyes.

She brushed them away. "As long as it's okay with your other mother, then I would be honored for you to call me Mom."

He threw himself into her arms and she heard a few guests sniff in response. As she held Roland, Robin knelt in front of Henry and pulled him close.

"Henry, I have viewed you as my son for a few years now and I love you just as much as I love Roland. I promise to be as good a father to you as I try to be for him. Whether you want to kick around a soccer ball, trying a new recipe, finally learn how to build a birdhouse or just want someone to talk to, I will be there for you. Just as your mother provides you with guidance, I will be there as well. Never doubt that and always trust that I will have your best interests at heart. We will probably fight—all parents and children do, it's a part of growing up—but always remember that I love you, no matter what you say to me. I know we've talked about this with you so this shouldn't come as a surprise, but today I not only become your mother's husband. I will also become your father when I sign the adoption papers as well as our marriage license. I love you, Henry, and that will never change."

"Wait, really?" Henry asked, sniffling. "You're really signing the adoption papers today?"

Robin nodded. "I really am. I'm really going to be your father."

"YES!" Henry's jubilant cry echoed around the gardens as he hugged Robin tightly. By now even Regina felt herself starting to mist over as she continued to hug Roland tight and she could hear people crying behind her.

Even the justice of the peace wiped away a few tears as she instructed Regina and Robin to stand and hold hands. She asked John to give her the rings, the simple gold bands they had chosen along with the engagement ring. Opening the box, she held them up so the guests could see them.

"The wedding ring is a symbol of unity, a circle unbroken, without beginning or end," she said, reading form the book open in her other hand. "Today, Robin and Regina give and receive these rings as demonstrations of their vows to make their life one, to work at all times to create a love that is whole and unbroken, and to love each other without end."

She took the smaller of the rings out and placed it in Robin's hand. Instructing him to put it on Regina's left ring finger, she held out the book so he could read the vows. "Regina, I take you to be my lawfully wedded wife. Before these witnesses, I vow to love you and care for you as long as we both shall live. I take you, with all your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you with all my faults and strengths. I will help you when you need help and will turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life."

He slid the ring on until it touched her engagement ring and then kissed her hand. The justice then handed Regina the larger of the rings and she placed it on Robin's ring finger. She repeated the same vows he had just recited before sliding the ring the rest of the way onto his finger.

"Robin and Regina," the justice continued, "just as two very different threads woven in opposite directions can form a beautiful tapestry, so can your two lives merge together to form a very beautiful marriage. To symbolize the merging of your lives, I invite you to take the candles lit by your sons that represent your individual lives and to merge your flames to form one as you light the center candle. This represents that your two lives are now joined to one light and represents the joining together of your two families into one."

The musicians played a sweet melody as they picked up their candles, lighting the center one together. As they had practiced, they raised the candles to blow them out so that they didn't accidentally blow out their singular flame. Once the extinguished tapers were returned to their place, Robin took Regina's hand and they waited for the final words from the justice.

"Robin and Regina, in so much as you have agreed to live together in matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows and the exchanging of rings, by the power invested in me by the State of Maine, I now declare you husband and wife," she said. She then smiled, closing her book as she said: "You may kiss your bride."

Robin pulled Regina close to him before dipping her as he kissed her. She

gripped one of his arms as her other hand slid into his hair. Around them, their friends cheered their union as Robin righted her and broke the kiss.

The justice then pulled out a few pieces of paper as well as a pen. "Before I let you go enjoy your reception, we just have some formalities to square away. I'll just need you both to sign these papers."

She placed the papers on her book, giving them a sturdy surface to sign everything. Robin had one additional piece of paper to sign, one that Henry watched him intently as he affixed his signature to it. As the justice of peace took all the forms back, she smiled down at Henry. "By the power invested in me by the State of Maine, I now declare you and Robin father and son. Congratulations, Henry."

"Why don't we all get this party started?" Robin asked, smiling at them. The boys cheered and he held out his arm to Regina. She took her bouquet back from Mal, linking her arm with his. She used her free hand to take Henry's while Robin took Roland's. As the musicians struck up a lively and triumphant tune, the new family headed down the aisle to start their new lives together.

Who knew catching her husband cheating with her best friend would be the best thing that ever happened to her?


End file.
